Freecycle.org – Give something or Get something

I joined Freecycle in my local community a few years ago when I first read about in it the Parade magazine that comes with the weekend newspaper.

As stated on their website (stats as of today): The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,537 groups with 5,416,000 members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box.

When you sign up with a local Freecycle group on Yahoo, make sure you read and follow the rules of engagement specific to that town or group. Basic protocol works like this: you post to the group an OFFER for something you have and would like to give or a WANTED request for an item you would like that someone else may have, but not be using or want. If you post a WANTED request, and receive the item, you should post a RECEIVED message. People who OFFER items can decide at their discretion who to give an item to, non-profits are often given first priority. It may also go to someone on a first come, first served basis, or just because someone likes how you replied to the offer. Some givers will post a PROMISED message so they stop getting email responses to their OFFER post. Once the offered item is picked up, the giver will post a TAKEN message to the group.

If you read my magicJack post, you know that I recently posted a WANTED request for a digital answering machine. A few days went by with no responses, and I started researching purchasing one. But once again, Freecycle came through for me. I received an email from someone who said he had just purchased a combo cordless phone with built in answering machine and he no longer needed his older AT&T 1750 model. He said it still worked fine except for the time date stamp feature wasn’t always accurate. That was okay with me, so I responded I would gladly take it. He emailed me his address and said he would leave it outside next to the garage and I could pick it up anytime the next day or evening. It works great and now I can cancel my AT&T voicemail service.

Examples of other things I have received on Freecycle:
– small set of free weights
– Mrs. Meyer’s green cleaning products (it turned out the woman who bought
them has an allergy to rose oil)
– a Petmate cat drinking water fountain
– a bicycle tire pump
– a crockpot cookbook
– the game Cranium

Examples of some things I have given on Freecycle:
– a cat carrier
– a small computer desk
– an adjustable metal bedframe
– the game Trivial Pursuit
– some old, but still usable, garden tools

I have never really had a bad experience using Freecycle, but once, after I had picked up a box of used canning jars, I received an email requesting them back, because the man had not checked with his wife first. I guess he was in “trouble”. Of course, I was disappointed, but let him pick them up. I have also received items, because I was “next on the list” of responders, when someone never showed up to pick up the item. So be aware, that does happen on occasion.

3 Responses to “Freecycle.org – Give something or Get something”

I love this post, one of my grandmother many mantras was waste not want not, I didn’t appreciate it until I became an adult with my own children and as I manage to keep our lives comfortable I share it with my children.

One of my favorite sites for looking for tips on frugal living is http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com/, I haven’t been on the site in a few years but it’s a site where people can share tips on ways to save money.